Threat of Endangerment: The Mountain Gorilla :: essays research papers

The nap gorilla was first discovered roaming the Virunga Volcanoes in Rwanda (von Beringe, 2002, p.9). German Captain Robert von Beringe and his African soldiers stumbled upon two mountain gorillas around the volcanic region on October 17, 1902 (von Beringe, 2002, p.9). Von Beringe captured and killed wiz of them and sent the body to the Zoological Museum in Berlin, Germany. Professor Paul Matschie, who worked with the museum, identify the gorilla as a new class and named it after its get around gorilla beringei beringei (von Beringe, 2002, p.10). Twenty-three years later, American naturalist Carl Akeley persuaded King Albert of Belgium to relinquish a Belgian trust territory, near Rwanda, into a national putting surface for the conservation of mountain gorillas. The Albert National Park, later named the Virunga National Park, was the first parking area established in Africa (Ngowi, 2002).Between 1960 and 1980, American zoologists studied mountain gorillas. George Schaller pa ss one year doing basic study on the animal. Dian Fossey devoted her lifespan to extensively studying and encourageing mountain gorillas. Fossey moved to Rwanda to be appressed to the animals and set up the Karisoke Research Center in 1967 (Robbins et al., 2001). She directed the cracker bonbon for thirteen years, learning the habits and gaining the acceptance of the mountain gorillas (Robbins et al., 2001). In 1983, she wrote a book, Gorillas in the Mist, to promote public awareness of the troubles mountain gorillas face. Her memoir was later do into a movie. Her relationship with mountain gorillas and concern for their safety was unmatched. She created an organization to carry on gorillas in 1978 called the Digit Fund, named after a mountain gorilla Fossey was closure to (Robbins et al., 2001). After her mysterious death in 1985, the organization switched its name to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Fossey contributed to much understanding of mountain gorillas.Di an Fossey was so driven to protect mountain gorillas because they are an endangered species. Several threats have kept their race from thriving. One threat is disease, especially those which manhood are equally as vulnerable to (Ferber, 2000). Tourists enjoy visiting the mountains of Rwanda to admire the gorillas and encourage their safety however, humans help put mountain gorillas at risk. In 1999, a team of researchers with the Journal of Parasitology noted roundworm parasites in the feces of mountain gorillas (Ferber, 2000). These parasites ordinarily have affected only humans through contaminated water. Early, in 1988, blood and tissue samples of several mountain gorillas indicated measles infection (Ferber, 2000).